Overview

Sir Edward Coke (1552-1634), the first judge to strike down a law, gave us modern common law by turning mediaeval common law inside-out. Through his resisting strong-minded kings, he bore witness for judicial independence. Coke is the earliest judge still cited routinely by practising lawyers. This book breaks new ground as the first scholarly biography of Coke, whose most recent general biography appeared in 1957, and draws revealingly on Coke's own papers and notebooks. The book covers Coke's early life and career, to the end of the reign of Elizabeth I in 1603 (a second volume will cover Coke's career under James I and Charles I). In particular, this book highlights Coke's close connection with the Puritans of England; his learning, legal practice, and legal theory; his family life and ambitious dealings; and the treason cases he prosecuted.

Full Product Details

9780804748094

Table of Contents

Reviews

“This is a good book, carefully researched and written in an accessible and engaging style. It integrates the best recent scholarship which brings light to bear upon the historical milieu in which Sir Edward Coke rose to prominence.”— Australian Journal of Legal History

[Boyer] brings his subject vividly to life and writes with verve adn imagination, presenting a well-structured, comprehensive and impressively researched book that serves both the legal historian and the general reader very well. Sir Edward Coke and the Elizabethan Age should be considered by any student of Elizabethan history because, in exploring a great lawyer and the law, it also sheds light on politics, religion, culture and society. I will not be alone in looking forward to the second volume. -- Renaissance Studies

Author Information

Allen Boyer is senior appellate counsel for the Department of Enforcement of the Financial Industry Regulatory Authority.

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